by Shiloh Francis

He shoots, he scores, and the crowd goes wild!

The blaring horn is accompanied by cowbells clanging loudly amongst the rowdy fans. As he rushes back to get on defense, he can’t help but soak it all in. He remembered the noise of this hockey arena from his time playing as an opponent.

But this time things were different; this was his home and these were his fans.

It was 2014 and would be Daniel Tetrault’s final season of professional hockey after 15 years. He had played for more than eight teams and would be finishing his career as team captain for the Rapid City Rush.

Two things always stood for Tertault when thinking about moving to Rapid City. And they could not be more opposite. The loudest arena in the league, and the beautiful serenity of the Black Hills.

Following his retirement, Tetrault was offered the assistant coaching job for the Rush team. And when the puck drops to begin the 2021 season, he will begin his third season as head coach.

Coach has a quiet demeanor. He loves the game, beyond that, he loves seeing the players develop. He can always find something positive or encouraging to say, even when a mistake is made.

His experience in the league makes it easy to respect him. And he has another trick up his sleeve that makes it easy for players to relate to: he is fully bi-lingual. Originally from Manitoba Canada, Coach grew up speaking French as his first language. Being able to speak both French and English gives him the ability to clearly communicate with players from across the league.

As someone who grew up skating and playing since the age of five, it’s not surprising that hockey continues to be a key part of Coach’s life. Many coaches and players throughout the league have offseason homes and only live in town during the season.

But not Coach Tetrault.

He lives in Rapid City year-round. The love of the game and the beauty of the Hills help, but ultimately it was a different kind of love that keeps him here. Coach and now fiancé, Shelle, met at the Christmas Midnight Mass that final season he played. As he says, “the rest was history.”

Because he lives in Rapid City all year, it creates more opportunities for Coach to attend community events and get involved in Rapid City. And that involvement continues throughout the organization. From Nugget appearances to the players volunteering, the Rapid City Rush works hard to give back to the community.

This will be the 13th season for the Rush. The organization has seen a lot of changes over the years, but one thing remains the same: they are Rapid City’s team. Having access to attend a professional game is not something every town the size of Rapid City can boast. The Rush is the only organization that travels the country with “Rapid City” clearly displayed.

Whether you understand hockey or not, you cannot help but feel caught up in the energy of the arena when you attend your first game. The bright lights, cowbells, and occasional fight on the ice are sure to pull you in. Grab a friend, buy some tickets, and get out to support Coach and the Rapid City Rush this season.

If there’s one thing 2020 has taught us: we have to come together and support local if we want it to continue to be here.